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Itranspired Ruben Amorim could survive defeat by Grimsby. He weathered a decisive continental showpiece versus one of the worst Spurs sides in living memory. He could survive losing at home against domestic rivals, a lowly league position, an unwavering system, undermining the team's best homegrown talent, the 32% win rate, calling the squad the poorest in Manchester United history. But there was one adversary against whom Ruben Amorim would not be allowed to dance. If you challenge the sporting director, and you best not miss.

Regrettably, similar to numerous top-flight defender in Blackburn’s championship campaign, the coach came at Jason Wilcox and appears to have missed. The most casual observer can see the paradoxical situation: a manager who often railed his squad for losing one-on-one duels succumbing when confronted by the intense pressure and animal charisma of one of the Premier League’s most intimidating football executives.

In truth, this whole bruising episode appears to portray Jason Wilcox in a different perspective. Perhaps it might have been tempting, given his brief stint in a similar role with the Saints, to regard him as little more than a drudge within the club's structure: an individual whose appointment was due as much to his friendship with ex-colleague a fellow executive rather than any demonstrable skill. How mistaken we all were. By masterfully outsmarting United’s feted manager, just as he bested the hapless a previous executive before him, he has demonstrated to be among the sport’s strategic masterminds: a strategic mind that United’s mid-table rivals are now rightly wary.

The Strategic Conflict Over Formation and Philosophy

For example, it was the director who having been part of the leadership that hired the 3-4-3 fundamentalist the coach in the first place, played a key role in attempting to convince Amorim to abandon his favored 3-4-3. Naturally, these pleas met a certain resistance. But perhaps such directives carry more weight when issued from the mouth with the impeccable soccer background of Jason Wilcox, holder of international appearances and a contributor to a title-winning side decades past.

Perhaps in time he may be persuaded to outline his reasoning publicly. Maybe one day questions may arise regarding why the coach is departing with a full payout, with no compensation reduction clause activated. The director speaks rarely publicly, for excellent reasons. The true intellectuals in football – individuals such as him – simply operate at a level beyond our own prosaic understanding. Were he to speak, probably we would perceive would be ultrasonic blips and complex calculations. Wanting is not the same as being prepared to comprehend it.

An Supreme Power In Command

But of course, in training our focus on Jason Wilcox we are obscuring the real power behind the club's current leadership. Jason Wilcox is, in reality, merely executing the commands of his line manager the billionaire owner, who privately has emphasized his preference for a back four. It is reported, the owner has also proposed playing Bryan Mbeumo as a right wing-back. The owner is eager for United to embrace data science and metrics. According to ESPN, during a leadership summit soon after his minority ownership, he declared that United’s style to football “will be determined in this room”.

Ultimately, Sir Jim is a specialist in this technical footballing stuff, drawing from his previous experience in industry and sailing. Most importantly he remains incredibly rich, and it is known, the wealthy are the best of us: more perceptive, sagacious, strategically brilliant, fundamentally superior. Whom else could one trust to oversee a strategic plan of cost-cutting, the building of a modern arena that looks similar to someone’s leftover knitting, the signing of Benjamin Sesko?

The New Soccer Order: Executives Over Coaches

This represents a shift that is becoming prevalent in top-tier of the game. Historically, clubs foolishly entrusted big footballing decisions to subordinate staff such as coaches, scouts – even footballers. Perhaps it was once possible for a young, visionary coach with a philosophy and energy to join a club and see their vision through to completion. But how many companies have such individuals set up? How many large-scale layoffs have they overseen? Better by far to place genuine authority where it belongs: the executive class, the open-necked shirt brigade, the individuals with the jaw-dropping professional resumes. Better by far to determine the tactics by the directors and hire a coach who will adapt their offering accordingly. If coaches were once chefs, they are now more akin to Deliveroo drivers: not creating the product, yet ultimately answerable if it arrives cold or leaks out to meet standards.

Nowadays, a coach's role has become not about defining the vision and more about selling it: the front-facing representative on the front desk, the public face for a club they can do little to influence. Enzo Maresca leads a team of literal children into the Champions League and wins two medium-sized trophies, and essentially is dismissed for talking. A manager at Celtic finds his standing damaged whereas the people who appointed him live to blunder indefinitely.

A Modern Corporate Game: Responsibility for the Few

And perhaps on some microcosmic level this represents neoliberalism in action: the rise of a privileged elite who are infallible, whose decisions remain sacrosanct, whose mistakes can invariably be sacked away without justification. Hire the system coach only to dismiss him for using too much that system. Bring in the project manager and later discard them for taking excessive time. And most importantly be grateful; for your modest season ticket price rises, for the latest summer signings, for the fact that the adults – however well qualified – remain in control.